


These Were Lies #5: Willow

by voleuse



Series: These Were Lies [5]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-07
Updated: 2005-08-07
Packaged: 2017-10-04 11:05:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>I will not speak of the undying glory of women</em>.<br/>Nine women Spike used to know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Were Lies #5: Willow

**Author's Note:**

> Set after S5. Title, summary, and headings taken from _Not Marble Nor the Gilded Monuments_ by Archibald MacLeish.

_Not with my hand's strength, not with difficult labor  
Springing the obstinate words to the bones of your breast  
And the stubborn line to your young stride and the breath to your breathing_

 

By chance one night, he patrols with Willow, alone. They happen to be passing near Buffy's grave, and they both veer towards it without thought.

He tries not to meet her eyes as he looks away from the headstone.

Neither of them cry. He's a little surprised at that.

*

 

It becomes a habit, when it's just the two of them. They don't discuss it, don't plan for it. It just happens.

He and Willow, standing on opposite sides of the headstone, in silence.

Five or ten minutes, and then they return to their duties.

*

 

There's no real trouble, but there's a nasty undercurrent in the air. They all go on patrol. Giles, Anya, and Xander in one group, Willow and Spike in the other, while Tara stays with Dawn.

Giles thinks there might be a new vampire in town, not a master, but one stronger, more charismatic than usual.

While walking past The Bronze, a pair of vampires leap out and grab Willow, slamming her into the ground.

Spike stakes one off her, watches the other one disintegrate under her hands, and then he helps her up.

"Nice trick, that," he compliments.

Willow smiles grimly. "Just something I picked up." Her breathing is shaky, so he slips a hand under her elbow, steadying her until she settles down.

As they walk through town, they stake several more, once even as the vampire started feeding off a basketball player.

"This is bad," Willow mutters.

Spike can't help but agree.

*

 

As they stand by Buffy's grave that night, Willow breaks the silence, startling Spike.

"This shouldn't have happened," she says. "She shouldn't have died."

"No arguments here." He crouches, places his palm on the ground.

When he looks up, he's startled by Willow's expression. He can't interpret it, but it unsettles him.

Willow purses her lips. "We should go."

He stands. "Right."

When they meet with the others, Giles shares his suspicions of where the nest might be.

While they hash out a strategy, Spike looks over his shoulder and sees Willow whispering to Xander. Neither of them looks happy.

He doesn't know what that means, either.

*

 

The next night, all five of them go out in force, converge on an abandoned fast-food restaurant.

Spike sneers. "You're kidding." At Giles' shrug, he rolls his eyes. "No sense of style."

They all pause to let Willow work some mojo, some sort of obscuring spell.

Anya doles out vials of holy water to the others, and hands Spike an extra stake.

Willow lets out a gust of breath, signaling the completion of her spell.

And they swoop down upon their prey.

*

 

A few days later, he stands across the grave from Willow, again.

"I can't do this anymore," she says.

He frowns, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"We can't keep fighting like this," she replies. "Not without a Slayer."

Spike sighs, turns away from the grave. "What else can we do, love?"

She doesn't answer.

He walks away, and doesn't recognize the silence behind him.


End file.
